#riting fantasy

[mask131]

Copying the OP tags because they're worth it:

#simon says#i watched the Last Unicorn again recently and it fucking slaps#and I noticed a huge part of why it slapped is because it doesn't explain shit#same with a lot of other fantasy things from the 70's and 80's I've noticed#and even older stories all the way back to fairy tales and fables#they just tell you something and move on#and it works!#a lot of the time it feels far too hand-holdy or immersion breaking for the characters to stop and explain something for the audience#like these characters would not take the time to explain the aspects of their world in detail to other people who live in this world#this is clearly for the audience only and so that they can feel more satisfied with an answer#but it fucking sucks!!#it is bad writing!!#to presume your audience has no suspension of disbelief so you stop everything to explain how the world works for them alone is bad!#it makes the story feel awkward because it feels out of character for the people of the world to talk like that and it feels insulting tbh#like you really think the audience's ability to pick up details of the world from dialog and onscreen (or page) information is that poor??#and to some extent it is#lord knows we are having a serious media literacy and general literacy issue in the United States#but it's honestly just bad writing and it bugs me so much. my number 1 pet peeve in fantasy is overexplaining especially when it doesn't fit#like just fucking tell me that there's a magical world on the other side of this wall in a village and move on#i can just accept this fact#imagine if the Dark Crystal took the time to explain every aspect of the world#that movie is already jam packed with random story and world bits that you just have to accept and move on from#now imagine if they took a solid 2 minutes to explain what the fuck Fizzgig is.#i think leaving it at 'he's a friendly monster and Kira's friend!' is the perfect place to leave it at#we do not need a full explanation on Fizzgig's species and behavior and why he's friendly unlike other monsters#he's a friendly monster and he's Kira's friend! that's all we need to know! we got a dark crystal to put back together!!!

I think that the 2010's media landscape of Buzzfeed articles about plotholes in disney movies, Cinemasins critiques, and Watchmojo Top Ten scenes in movies that make no sense has truely ruined a lot of media. People are afraid that their work will be torn down if they dare leave a single thing up in the air, if they dare ask their audience to suspend their disbelief.

All too often nowadays I see stories (especially fantasy), take the time to explain how every small aspect of the world works and how it all logically makes sense. The constant time stopped to explain why an event happened, how this object works, or why this is important to the characters. It's just really not needed and it honestly makes a lot of stories worse.

I am of the opinion that the best stories truly just drop you into their world and explain nothing. They just take you through the story of this world and you just have to accept it and continue on. "When he became king, the land became barren." I don't want the story to stop and explain why this is, or how it happened, I want us to move on so we can just assume that the king has such rancid vibes that everything died.

[traegorn]

Shadowcasting, the third installment in The Mia Graves Saga is now out. And if you're looking for some fun, queer, contemporary fantasy books to read (with a good dose of humor and a pinch of spice), you should check out all of them.

Book one, The Witch and the Rose, asks the important question "What if your one night stand was your only chance to survive your haunted house?" Think "lovers to friends" as the trajectory here.

In book two, Bloody Damn Rite, Mia has to deal with both vampires and her ex-girlfriend showing up in town at the same time.

And now, in book three, Shadowcasting, we find out just how hard it is to talk a twenty-something out of using a magical nuke. Mostly because no one listens to you when you work retail. 

Order the books today!

The Witch and the Rose ISBN: 9798869132666 eBook: Kindle / Kobo / ePub Paperback: Amazon / Direct Order  

Bloody Damn Rite ISBN: 9798330220373 eBook: Kindle / Kobo / ePub Paperback: Amazon / Direct Order  

Shadowcasting ISBN: 9781088207031 eBook: Kindle Paperback: Amazon / Direct Order  

[krscblw]

silva my beloved (la/chamber vocal ghoulette)

[groovybouquetgoatee]

[tigment-png]

Lantern Rite is here! ╔═*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*═╗ GAOMON PD1560, MedibangPAINT Pro ╚═*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*═╝

[madcat-world]

Golden Rites - esuthio

[chloristoflora]

"No," said Granny. "I didn't think so. They've got him, haven't they."

It wasn't a question. Esk nodded, her face a mask of misery.

"It's not your fault," said Granny. "His mind gave Them an opening, and when he was knocked out they took it back with them. Only..."

She drummed her fingers on the edge of the bed, and appeared to reach a decision.

"Who's the most important wizard around here?" she demanded.

"Um, Lord Cutangle," said Esk. "He's the Archchancellor. He was one of the ones who was in here."

"The fat one, or the one like a streak of vinegar?"

Esk dragged her mind from the image of Simon on the cold desert and found herself saying: "He's an Eight Level wizard and a 33° mage, actually."

"You mean he's bent?" said Granny. "All this hanging around wizards has made you take them seriously, my girl. They all call themselves the Lord High This and the Imperial That, it's all part of the game. Even magicians do it, you'd think they'd be more sensible at least, but no, they call around saying they're the Amazing-Bonko-and-Doris . Anyway, where is this High Rumtiddlypo?"

Equal Rites, by Terry Pratchett

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

Rite of the Serpent by Seb McKinnon

[3neonnightlifenostalgiablog]

[acoraf]

A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Page 193:

*SPOILERS, including future books*

Lucien mid explanation of Calanmai to Feyre, after dragging her back to the manor:

...."We do this by conducting the Great Rite. Each of the seven High Lords of Prythian preforms this every year, since their magic cones from the earth and returns to it at the end - it's a give-and-take."

But I have a vague memory of Rhysand telling Feyre that it's a Spring court celebration, and he does not celebrate it.

This tells me that either, if what Lucien says is true, Rhysand wasn't supposed to be High Lord in this book or maybe not even meant to be, because then why is he here? I know he is being held by Amarantha, but you get where im coming from, right?

OR if what Lucien says is wrong, his dad is a perv and performing the Rite in the Autumn court, just to fuck around, and it's just never come up with Tamlin or any other court for however many years Lucien has lived 🙃

Also, if all the other courts have their own celebration, why would the boarders have to be open for this single night? They could just go to their own celebrations...

Or, of course, it's just a classic SJM lore-oversight that didn't fit her story later on. Who knows 🤷🏼‍♀️

[jadynwaymire1997blog]

[traegorn]

Want some fun, queer, contemporary fantasy books to read (with a good dose of humor and a pinch of spice)? Try my books -- the Mia Graves series! The first two books are out right now, with the third coming in December (and several more volumes on the way).

Start with The Witch and the Rose, which has Witchcraft and Ghosts, while Mia deals with trauma and Riley makes bad life decisions!

Then read the sequel, Bloody Damn Rite, which has Witchcraft and Vampires, while Mia deals with trauma and Riley makes worse life decisions!

Then, in the upcoming Shadowcasting, there's Witchcraft and more Witchcraft, while Mia still deals with Trauma but Riley only just gets kind of judgy... because Bobbi is the one making bad life decisions.

Do all of these people need therapy? Probably.

Order the books today!

The Witch and the Rose ISBN: 9798869132666 eBook: Kindle / Kobo / ePub Paperback: Amazon / Direct Order

Bloody Damn Rite ISBN: 9798330220373 eBook: Kindle / Kobo / ePub Paperback: Amazon / Direct Order

Shadowcasting (Available 12/15/2024) ISBN: 9781088207031 Pre-Order Via: Kindle / Paperback

[reblogandlikes]

The Great Rite...?

I've always wondered how the Great Rite (Calanmai) is performed across the other Courts. Are they all basically sex based ritualistic magic thats tipping the line of consent non consent as it is a duty? Borderline possession when the *magic* channels and uses the body of the host, if you think about it. Does it differ between courts?

And what happens when it's not performed? Maybe it was already written in the text, but I'd assume, or would like to think, the magic of the lands would become wilder. Unpredictable. Consequences curating in some form that couldn't be ignored. Maybe making the land less fertile, transfiguring usually harmless creatures into something horrid and vicious to attack the fae settlers; or even weaken the High Lord of that particular land as it was the *Land* that chose them, thus making them/the court vulnerable. A collective punishment, so to speak.

And then the Rite being done, but not by the High Lord themselves. Like how Kier has been the one to perform it in Rhysand’s stead for however long (Don't care for him, but it not Kier's responsibility) and how Lucien replaced Tamlin. Maybe the magic would simply view them as place holders - satisfied, but not fulfilled. Eventually, it would get tired and lash out by feeling slighted. Decide to strip the power of the HL and give it to another without death required.

I dunno, just some random thoughts. Not asking for the most world building, but just a comparison. Even in the places we've been the most (Spring & NC), there's not much depth. Just surface level explanations that are never recounted again. Though, that could be mostly due to SJM being more character focus. But still, the books get thick. Something could have been substituted to add more otherworldly aspects of a literal faerie book.

[lacependragonwrites]

By the Rites of Stars (Starkyda) - Chapter 1 - Saoirse - 1st Draft Snippet

Notes: I like this one. It's a nice introduction to the dynamic these three share, as well as an introduction to the newest character of the series - Aisling, Saoirse's handmaid. I hope you enjoy!

----

"You didn't wrap your hair, my lady," says Aisling.

Saoirse grimaces and tugs her fingers through some of the kinky, black curls. She had wrapped her hair.

She'd scorched it to cinders on her way to Lucian's room, last night. That's the fifth one in as many days. At this rate, Saoirse's going to raise the price of silk on the island, singlehandedly.

Saoirse sighs. "How bad is it?" Her hand falls to her lap and she curls her fingers together.

Aisling hums and sets down the basket she had on her hip at the foot of the bed.

"Not bad at all," she says, pulling combs and picks and jars of oils and creams from the basket. "We've plenty of time."

"We're not behind schedule?" asks Saoirse, scooting to the foot of the bed. Lucian gets to his feet and disappears out of the room, nodding on his way out. The door almost catches his tail.

"No," says Aisling, settling behind Saoirse and starting to work on her hair. "I knew you'd be here." There's a laugh in her voice, small but there, and Saoirse's face burns. She stares at her hands, fingers twisting in her lap, and presses her lips tight together.

Aisling leans around and beams at her, pressing their cheeks together.

"Not an insult, my lady. I quite like this room, myself." She winks and Saoirse can't help the snort of laughter that slips from her lips.

The first touch of the comb in her hair has Saoirse stilling from long practice. Once Aisling works through all the tangles, Saoirse's thinking of doing star buns. Quick, easy, and it gets her hair out of the way for this morning.

Saoirse swallows. The hatching. Watch if—

"Aisling?" Her voice is high and tight.

"Yes, my lady?"

"Could you tell me a story? Or some gossip? Something?"

Aisling hums. "Of course, my lady." She sets off into a story about the housemaids and a recent relationship scandal, and Saoirse settles into the bed, closing her eyes and letting the words wash over her.

Aisling is the only woman in the house taller than Saoirse, and kneeled on the bed, her mouth hovers above Saoirse's head. Her words dance along Saoirse's hair before landing in her ears, and each word relaxes the tension in Saoirse's shoulders almost as easily as Lucian's bed.

Six years as her handmaid — tomorrow is their anniversary — does that.

Lucian returns during the story and he settles on the other side of the bed to help with Saoirse's hair. The scent of coconut oil and mango fills the air — imported hair products that work much better than anything local — and Saoirse tilts her head to let the two work her hair into the two star buns she asks for.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready, as well?" asks Aisling.

Lucian huffs. "Well, you see, you two have taken over my room."

Aisling snorts. "As if we've never seen you naked."

Saoirse's face burns. Aisling shouts as Saoirse's hair ignites.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Saoirse leaps to her feet and scrambles away from them both. She slaps her buns, both mostly done, and tries to stay away from everything flammable. Lucian opens the window.

Saoirse sighs as her hair simmers down to a dull, glowing smoulder. "I can finish getting ready in my room." She shuffles toward the door and stares at the floor. Always causing problems. Messing up Lucian's morning. The most important morning of his life. And here she is, messing it up.

"Are your hands okay?" Saoirse's gaze flicks to Aisling, who is blowing on her hands. "Did I hurt you?" She voice cracks and she grimaces.

Aisling shakes her head and her hands. "Nah, just smarts. I've done worse to myself walking into door frames." She grins. Her short hair, a few fingers tall, is immaculate even at this early hour, and she keeps the sides so clean and tight that it makes the men in the house jealous. Saoirse wishes she could be half as put together as Aisling with Aisling's help.

[alongbookshelf]

Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

Equal Rites is Terry Pratchett's third installation to the Discworld series. It is the first book that introduces Granny Weatherwax and the witches, who can be seen in several of the books.

When a young girl named Esk is born and found to have magical powers, it challenges traditional gender norms of the Discworld. Magic is very binary (perhaps dating the story a bit for some people, but it is still very good) . Women who practice magic are always witches and men are wizards. Esk is headstrong and decides she will in fact study to be a wizard. Her mentor (the local witch), Granny Weatherwax takes it upon herself to ensure that her prodigy can excel in whatever she sets her mind to.

Pratchett's wit comes through as always, and Esk's journey gives plenty of opportunity for commentary about traditional gender roles, institutionalzation of education, the slow march of progress and the challenges that comes with it from those who resist it.

Granny Weatherwax and Esk are great characters. I enjoyed Granny particularly and look forward to her next adventure in Wyrd Sisters.

Sorry, Granny, but Rincewind remains my favorite character so far.

[chloristoflora]

I really like the concept of witches' magic dealing with nature in a peaceful, friendly way, against the destructive way of wizards. I've just started Equal Rites, but I can already tell that Terry Pratchett could write women very well.